WATCH | Pearl Thusi breaks down over 'light skin' hate

Even though actress and TV presenter Pearl Thusi has developed a thick skin regarding cyberbullying, the colourism hate she gets on a daily basis does affect her.  

Pearl lifted the lid on her struggles of always trying to prove herself because people believed she got numerous gigs because of her skin tone.

In an emotional interview with media personality and actress Khanyi Mbau on Behind The Story on BET, Pearl broke down about the hate she still gets in the industry and from members of the public.

“Because they are light-skinned that's why they are where they are. Yes, there are privileges, but let's also look around who's giving those privileges to them and why they exist in the first place.

“You can't take those people because they are easy to abuse and they're in your community and they are accessible and they say, 'Yes because you're light-skinned she thinks she's better'. No, let's go back to the source on why we have an identity crisis and why we look different and why we are the way we are.”

Pearl added that she doesn't understand why South Africans, mainly black people, throw hate on one another when “we [are] supposed to be on the same side as a country, people and race”. 

“That's what we're supposed to be doing, we are on the same side. I'm not the enemy. I can't change how I look and if I did, you'd still be mad.

“So let me live my life, live yours ... I work very hard for what I have and if my light skin is going to help feed my kids and that's what you want to believe ... you know what, believe what you want to believe.”    

Pearl eventually broke down in tears. Khanyi then comforted her, telling her she needed to heal from the negative comments people throw at her.

“Certain battles need you to heal, you need to heal. You need to let them pass. You need to let them go.

“The world has evolved and I know you're talking about what people have gone through, they've gone through it - there's a reason. You know who you are ..." 

Pearl breaking down on national TV landed her on Twitter's trends list as tweeps had mixed feelings about what she said.

Here are some of the reactions: